1-1 By: Siebert, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Carona) H.B. No. 1720 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 9, 1997; 1-3 April 10, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Economic Development; April 25, 1997, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 25, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to a disqualification of eligibility for unemployment 1-9 compensation benefits for periods of partial unemployment caused by 1-10 a reduction in hours as a result of misconduct. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Section 201.091, Labor Code, is amended by adding 1-13 Subsection (d) to read as follows: 1-14 (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), an individual is not 1-15 partially unemployed for purposes of this subtitle for a benefit 1-16 period in which the individual's working hours are reduced by the 1-17 individual's employer as a result of misconduct connected with the 1-18 work on the part of the individual. Such limitation will be 1-19 effective for a maximum of four weeks from the effective date of 1-20 such a reduction in hours. 1-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 1-22 applies only to eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits 1-23 based on a claim filed with the Texas Workforce Commission on or 1-24 after that date. A claim filed before that date is governed by the 1-25 law in effect on the date that the claim was filed, and the former 1-26 law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-27 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-28 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-29 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-30 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-31 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-32 * * * * *